Cembrit fibre cement cladding achieves top marks in Liverpool

Cembrit’s through-coloured Cembonit cladding boards have been installed on a ten storey mixed use development in the heart of Merseyside, providing accommodation to students of Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool Hope University and the University of Liverpool.

Paramount is a newly built development comprising top quality student accommodation, a spa and gym, as well as commercial space. Built on a site that once featured a landmark cinema, the building has been developed to house a number of the 50,000 students flocking to Liverpool each year. The accommodation, which incorporates 440 units over 10 floors, is located within short walking distance to all three university campuses, and backs onto the Empire Theatre and Lime Street station.

North West Developer, PHD1 Construction’s aim was to regenerate the 3500sq m2plot to meet the needs of the community. Due to its central location, the appearance of the external envelope was extremely important, and one which led to the specification of a cladding solution that could achieve a varied finish. Bak Cladding Solutions was the sub-contractor on this project and sourced the Cembrit Cembonit cladding in Flint through Vivalda in Manchester.

Alan Trueman, Contract Director at Bak Cladding Solutions comments: “I have worked with Cembrit on a number of occasions, so I was confident that the Cembonit cladding boards would deliver outstanding results. The installation was slightly challenging, due to the panels being installed at 70 degrees to the building to provide a unique looking appearance. Ease of installation is a key feature of Cembonit cladding boards, and one which helped us achieved the desired end result.”

Cembonit is an autoclaved, through coloured board in 11 pastel coloured impact resistant boards characterised by an attractive matt finish and a faint directional grain. During the production process, Cembonit undergoes a unique impregnation treatment, which effectively protects against water staining and dirt, ensuring that the façade retains its attractive appearance in both dry and wet weather conditions.

The combination of colour stability, with a class 0 fibre rating to BS 476 part 6 and a class 1 rating to BS 476 part 7, makes Cembonit ideal for overcladding rainscreen applications. Randomly dispersed spherules of cement in Cembonit’s surface and variations of shade from sheet to sheet will assist in creating a natural looking façade. The sheets can be used for a range of applications, such as: rainscreen cladding, weatherboarding, window elements, fascia, balconies and prefabricated facade elements.